Sudan's warring parties have resumed negotiations in Saudi Arabia aimed at ending a six-month-old war that has killed more than 9,000 people, the Saudi foreign ministry said Thursday.
"The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia welcomes the resumption of talks between representatives of the Sudanese Armed Forces and representatives of the Rapid Support Forces in the city of Jeddah," a statement said.
The army earlier noted that it believes the talks can help find a solution to the conflict, and therefore accepted the invitation from Saudi Arabia and the US to travel to the city of Jeddah.
"Out of a belief by the armed forces that negotiations are one of the means that may end the conflict," the army's statement reads.
The RSF stated that its delegation arrived in Jeddah on Wednesday with the hope that the negotiations would lead to a solution.
"Reaching a solution that will stop the war and end the suffering of our people," stated the delegation of the RSF.
Representatives of the East African bloc's Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) will also attend the meeting.
Earlier this week, Shams-Eddin Kabashi, the deputy commander of the Sudanese army, said in a speech to army officers that the negotiations would begin with humanitarian issues, including the delivery of aid to the areas of violent clashes. Later, in the second phase, talks will continue on a possible ceasefire, and in the final phase, political efforts to end the conflict in the country will be discussed.
Since May, the army and the RSF had been holding talks in Jeddah mediated by Riyadh and Washington, but they broke off at the end of July. Later in September, the leader of the RSF and the general of the Sudanese army announced their readiness for a ceasefire and negotiations.
On April 15, armed conflict erupted in the capital of the North African country between the national army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. The violence has been concentrated in the capital, Khartoum, and the Darfur region, resulting in more than 9,000 deaths and 5.6 million displaced people.
According to the International Committee of the Red Cross, the seven-month conflict in the North African country could cause the health system to collapse, leading to disease outbreaks.